Make Your Christmas Tree Last in a Warm Climate

The holidays are never complete without the appearance of a Christmas tree in the home. It enlivens the household when the tree's lights are switched on and the glittering illumination and the bright and pretty ornaments on the tree, topped with something grand like a figurine of the Baby Jesus or an immaculate angel, just boosts everybody's spirits. But if you live in a warm climate, and your Christmas tree is a real one (not a synthetic store bought one), the tree needs special treatment since it is no longer rooted in soil.

Instructions and tips

1

If you live the in the southern part of the USA, or anywhere in the world where the usual temperate is tropical or warm, it does not exempt you from having your own Christmas tree in the house.

You know that the kids will yearn for it, especially if the adults' spirits are down when October rolls around and Christmas is just around the corner. The children will want to have that special time when they are helping in the hanging of ornaments on the the tree. The finale is the topping of the tree with a special grand ornament (a big star, Baby Jesus, angel, etc.) by the youngest member of the family, carried on top by a strong male (the dad, an uncle, a big brother). And then, the first switching on of the tree lights is also a much awaited event.

Keep in mind that a lot of people will have the same idea as yours, so buy a fresh and green Christmas tree. So it is best that you buy your tree around August or September, or the very least, early October. If early, you can choose from among the best in the lot. When late, you get to choose from not-so-pleasant-looking trees.

When choosing for a tree in a sale or on a farm, run your fingers through the needles.

If the needles come off easily, this means that the needles are a bit too dry for comfort, and the tree would not survive months (if you mount your tree in your home in September or October and dismantle it in January of the next year) of gawking and touching. Also the addition of the hot fancy lights, not to mention the hot weather where you live could create a fire hazard. Move on to the other trees, and you will find one that suits your needs.

You do not want to bring home a tree that has brown needles already. Remember that if you will be looking for a tree in a lot sale, the trees available there will have been already left there for weeks or months, and have been dried out in the sun.

There is a wide selection of trees that are more suitable for warm climates:

Scotch pine. Its shape is very much a classic cone of the typical Christmas tree and its needle retention character is very strong and excellent. It is actually the most popular tree that is cut for the holidays. It is easy to cultivate because it is easily adaptable to a wide range of climates (warm included) and soils.

Virginia pine. One of few evergreens to stand warm temperatures, it is a favorite tree cut for Christmas in the southern parts of the USA. Its needles also hold very well.

If you are the type of person who cannot rely on himself to be able to water the Christmas tree on a daily basis, get the Scotch pine or a white pine, because their needles stay on even when dry.

Remember this: If you buy a tree that has been naturally cultivated, you are supporting a local tree farmer. Most artificial Christmas trees are shipped from abroad.

One consideration is to add a liquid preservative for the Christmas tree.

This mixture will help the water of the tree become more acidic and also induces the tree to absorb more water. Another thing, it prevents the growth of algae because the mixture is also a disinfectant. The tree should stay rooted to this mixture until it is to be installed as your official Christmas tree inside the house. Until then, the tree, while outside, should be kept in a shaded and protected place so that sun and wind damage will not occur.

Place the Christmas tree in an internal house spot away from human traffic and heat sources.

The more bumps and touches it gets from human beings, the more needles fall and die. You might be surprised if it becomes bald. The cooler the spot, the better for the tree. Heat makes the tree drier. Thus, the needles have the tendency to be become brittle and fall off.

Comments

Jonjessph is a premier author with VisiHow. Jonjessph has achieved the level of "Lieutenant" with 31,850 points. Jonjessph has started 31 articles (including this one) and has also made 721 article edits. 438,000 people have read Jonjessph's article contributions.

Jonjessph's Message Board

Jonjessph:

Hi, my name is Jonjessph.

Jonjessph:

Can I help you with your problem about "Make Your Christmas Tree Last in a Warm Climate"?